Puller, whose nickname was inspired by his barrel chest, was born in West Point, Virginia. He resigned from the Virginia Military Institute[?] after his freshman year to enlist as a private in the Marine Corps in August, 1918 (serial number 135517). American involvement in World War I was intensifying at that time; his reasoning for his enlistment is summed up in the (possibly apocryphal) quote, "I want to go where the guns are."

Puller was unable to reach an overseas theater during the First World War, but remained on duty with the Marine Corps for the next 37 years. He was appointed to the rank of second lieutenant[?] in the reserves on June 16, 1919, but reduction in force following the war led to his being put on inactive status on the 26th of that month.

Following this action Puller was made executive officer of the 7th Marine Regiment. While serving in this capacity at Cape Gloucester[?], he earned his fourth Navy Cross for overall performance in December and January of 1944, and was later (February 1944) made regimental commander, leading the regiment in numerous engagements on Pelelieu[?] during September and October of 1944.

At the outbreak of the Korean conflict, Puller was once again assigned as commander of the 1st Marine Regiment, with whom he made a landing at Inchon on September 15, 1950. In November of that year, Puller earned an unprecedented fifth Navy Cross for action at Chosin Reservoir. Promoted to brigadier general[?] and made assistant division commander in January 1951, he completed his tour in Korea in May of that year.

A common incantation in the tradition of the Marine Corps is to end one's day with the declaration, "Good night Chesty, wherever you are!"

His son, Lewis B. Puller, Jr.[?] followed him into the Marines, but fared much differently, losing both legs and a hand in Vietnam, running for Congress opposing the war and losing, then writing an autobiography that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992.